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C. S. JACKSON.

CLOSURE FOR TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1918.

1 1,314,065. Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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C. S. JACKSON.

CLOSURE FOR TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. ms.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- CLARENCE S. JACKSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CLOSURE FOR TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application filed may 22, 1918. Serial No. 235,996.

To all when it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE S. J AcKsou,

. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Tubes, Case A,) of which the followin is a speci cation.

One important object of the invention is to provide. a closure device for collapsible tubes, such as are used to hold and dispense tooth paste, shaving cream and the like, which embodies novel features of construction whereby the closure can be removed from the discharge orifice of the tube by a mere pull thereon and replaced by a simple push, thus eliminating the tedious and troublesome unscrewing and screwing of a cap and the possibility of sticking of the cap or the stripping of the threads.

Another important object of the inverition is to provide a closure for collapsible ubes of the class described which will be always positively connected to the tube whether in position to close the discharge orifice or removed therefrom, whereby the loss of the closure by laying the same down or accidentally dropping it into the drain (pipe of a wash stand or the like, is prevente A further object of the invention is to provide a closure of the character described which is in the nature of a plug or slip cover, and which embodies a construction whereby it can be readily adapted for use upon the conventional screw-threaded nozzles of collapsible tubes without modification of the said nozzles, and whereby a circular discharge orifice in a nozzle can be converted into a rectangular orifice to discharge the contents of the tube in the form of a ribbon as'is often desirable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure device for collapsible tubes which is strictly sanitary, and comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which features are especially necessary in containers designed for dispensing tooth paste and shaving cream.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully appear as the description proceeds and the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in certain novel constructions, combination and arrangement of the parts as will be more fully pointed out in the following description and appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the discharge end of a collapsible tube grovided with an exteriorly screw-threaded ischarge nozzle, showing an and closure device embodyin applied thereto, the closure d an open position;

Fig. 2 a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same with the closure device in a closed position;

Fig. 3 a transverse vertical sectional view through the discharge nozzle and closure device;

Fig. 4 an enlarged perspective view of the discharge end of a collapsible tube provided with a discharge nozzleof a modified construction having the closure device embodying the invention applied directly thereto, the closure being shown in an open position;

Fig. 5 a side elevation thereof with the closure in a closed position;

Fig. 6 a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same;

Fig. 7 a transverse vertical sectional view through the nozzle and closure;

Fig. 8 a side elevation of a modified form of the closure member;

Fig. 9 a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same;

Fig. 10 a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the closure member a plied to an adapter ca which is applied to a conventional threaded nozzle as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive; and

Fig. 11 a detached perspective view of the adapter cap shown in Fig. 10.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring in detail to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive of the drawings, the reference character A designates a collapsible tube of a conventional construction, provided with a cylindrical discharge nozzle a, which is ex. teriorly threaded at b, and is formed with a circular discharge orifice 0.

An interiorly threaded adapter cap 20 is designed to be screwed upon the nozzle (1, said cap being provided in the top thereof with 'a discharge orifice 21. In the present the invention evice being in adapter cap instance this discharge orifice 21 is'rectangular in'shape,.and of a length substantially the same as the diameter of the discharge orifice c of the nozzle a. It thus will be seen that when the adapter cap 20 is screwed upon the nozzle it serves to convert the circular discharge orifice 0 into alrectangular orifice so that the contents of the tube A discharged in the form of a ribbon. A packing disk 22 of any suitable material, such as cork, is interposed and clamped be tween the cap 20 and the edges of the nozzle so as to prevent escape of the contents of the tube between the cap and orifice. This packing disk 22 is provided with a centrally disposedopening 23 of a size slightly less than and a shape substantially the same as the discharge orifice 21 of the cap, said opening being adapted to register with the discharge orifice 21 with the edges thereof slightly'overlapping the edges of the orifice 21. The sides ofthe cap 20 are formed with a pair of diametrically opposite longitudinally extending grooves 24 which are closed at their ends by the curved shoulders .25, said grooves serving as guideways for and cooperating with the closure device B to secure the closureto the cap 20.

The closure device B comprises a substantially U-shaped yoke .or frame 1 which is formed of a single strip of spring sheet material which has its ends 2 bent at substantially right angles to the body portion 3 thereof, the ends 2 being parallel and serving as spring supporting arms for the closure device, and having a length substantially equal to the height of the adapter cap 20. The body portion 3 is of a length substantially the same as the diameter of the cap 20. The yoke or frame member 1 is adapted to be applied'to the cap 20 with the arms 2 thereof straddling the cap and frictionally engaging the sides thereof, as indicated in Figs. 1 and2. The arms 2 are provided near their outer ends with spring lugs or tongues 4 which are preferably stamped therefrom and project into and engage the grooves 24 in the sides of the cap 20 to secure the yoke or frame 1 to the cap.

This frame 1 serves as a support for and carries a closure plug 7, the frame being provided, at the junction of each of the arms 2 and body portion 3 and on the inner sides of the arms, with a crimp or groove 5, said crimps or grooves being adapted to receive and frictionally engage the flanges 6 of the closure plug 7 and also serving as finger holds for operating the closure. This closur plug is formed of any suitable frictional material which will not oxidize or decompose, and is provided with a reduced tongue or rib 8 which is of a shape and size adapted to snugly fit into and frictionally engagethe inner walls of the discharge orifi-ce 21 of the cap so' as to tightly seal the 23 of the disk will be stretched ieiaoes same. The tongue 8 of the plug is also adapted to pass through the opening 23 of the packing disk 22, and this opening being slightly smaller than the discharge orifice 21 of the cap and the packing disk being formed of a resilient material the opening as the plug is inserted, and the edges of the opening 23 in the packing disk will be held in a snug engagement with the tongue 8 of the plug by the elasticity of the disk so as to insure the sealing of the discharge orifice 21 of the cap.

The'plug 7 is applied to the frame 1 by merely forcibly sliding the end flanges 6 thereof into the crimps 5 of the frame 1, and the plug is securely held in this position by frictional engagement of the flangesfi thereof with the crimps 5. spring material, the crimps will be resilient so as to spring against the flanges 6 to increase the friction.

In order to tightly close the discharge orifice 21 the tongue or rib 8 of the closure plug 7 is forced inwardly into the discharge orifice, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3, and in this position the flanges 6 of the plug 7 engage the top of the cap 20 and completely cover the edges of the discharge orifice 21 so as to positively prevent escape of the contents of the tube A and to exclude dirt. To remove the plug 7 from the discharge orifice the frame 1 is grasped between the forefinger and thumb, the crimps 5 serving as finger holds, and the whole frame pulled directly outward until the tongues 4 engage the curved shoulders 25 at the outer ends of the grooves 24 in the cap 20, which limit the outward movement of the frame 1 on the cap. The frame 1 is then swung to either side of the cap 20, the tongues 4 and shoulders 25 serving as a pivot, as indicated by dot-anddash lines in Fig. 3. The closure device B is thus swung away from the discharge orihas to allow free discharge of the contents of the tube, but the closure is always positively held in engagement with the cap by the tongues 4 in the grooves 24, so that loss or misplacing of the closure is precluded. It is also impossible for the closure to come into contact with a wash stand, as is frequently the case with separately constructed and detachable closures such as screw caps, and contamination of or injury to the closure is thus prevented. When in an operative or closed position the closure is prevented from displacement laterally of the nozzle by the plug 7 and tongues 4, and the plug is held against accidental withdrawal from the discharge orifice 21 by'the frictional engagement of the arms 2 and sides of the cap.

To positively hold the closure B against accidental movement longitudinally of the The frame 1 being of,

cap 20, the cap may be provided with sockets H or depressions 26 in the bases of the grooves 24, into which the spring tongues 4 willsnap when the closure is pushed into a closed position. With this construction a deliberate pull on the frame 1 of the closure would be necessary to withdraw the plug 7 from the discharge orifice 21.

The invention also contemplates the attachment of the closure device B directly to the discharge nozzle of a collapsible tube, thus eliminating the adapter cap. One pos sible construction for this purpose is illustrated by Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive of the drawings. The collapsible tube A is provided with a nozzle a of a modified construction, said nozzle comprising the comparatively broad side walls 6 and narrow end Walls 0, the said walls forming a substantially rectangular discharge ori ce d. The end walls 0 are each provided with an external longitudinally extending groove 6 which is closed at its outer end by the curved shoulder f, and at its inner end by the top of the tube. These grooves 6 correspond with the grooves 24 in the adapter cap 20 shown in Fig. 1, and are adapted to cooperate in a similar manner with the tongues 1 of the arms 2 of the closure device B The operation of the closure on this modi fied nozzle a is the same as upon the adapter cap 20, the plug 7 being adapted to snugly fit into and frictionally engage the walls of the discharge orifice d to seal the same, and the flanges 6 of the closure plug engaging the edges of the nozzles a when in a closed position, exactly as they engage the top of the adapter cap. To lock the closure member in a closed position on the nozzle a the bases of the grooves 0 may be provided with sockets or recesses 9 adapted to cooperate with the tongues 4 of the closure member frame, exactly as the recesses 26 in the adapter cap 20 cooper-- ate with the tongues 4.

A slight modification of the closure device is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, in which longitudinal slots 10 are formed in the supporting arms 11 of the closure C, said slots being adapted to cooperate with studs 12 formed integrally with the end walls of the nozzle a. The slots 10 perform the function of the guide grooves 24 above described, while the studs 12 serve the same purpose as the tongues 4. The construction of the closure C is otherwise identical with that of the closure B, and the operation of both closures is the same. Further description of the closure C is thus deemed unnecessary.

The closure C can be also adapted for use in connection with conventional exteriorly threaded discharge nozzles such as the nozzle a previously described, by the use of an adapter cap rovided with projecting studs, instead 0 grooves as is the adapter cap 20. As indicated in Figs. 10 and 11, the adapter cap 30 is identical in tively as above described.

construction with the cap 20, except that it is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite outwardly projecting studs 31 adapted to cooperate with the slots 10 in the arms 11 of the closure C, in a manner similar to that in which the studs 12 cooperate with the closure 0, instead of the grooves 24 of the cap 20. This cap 30 is screwed upon the nozzle a, of the tube A exactly as the cap 20 is screwed on the nozzle, and the operation of the closure device C in this case is similarto the operation of the closure C on the nozzle a", so that further description is deemed unnecessary.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the closure is extremely sim 1e and inexpensive, yet being a great an much desired, if not necessary, improvement upon the usual cap closures which are both inconvenient and unsanitary. The adapter cap serves to convert a circular discharge orifice into a rectangular orifice to discharge the contents of a tube in the form of a ribbon, at the same time serving to carry a plug closure and adapt the same for use upon conventional exteriorly threaded discharge nozzles without modification of the nozzle, the closure being always posiconnected to the nozzle. Further, it is to be noted that the closure is easily detachable from the nozzle of the tube or the cap 20, by simply springing the arms 2 or 11 away from-the ends of the nozzle or sides of the cap 20 to clear the tongues 1 from the grooves e or 2 1, or the slots 10 from the studs 12 or 31, and that the closure is thus interchangeable with any one of all tubes having nozzles or caps constructed The plug 7 is extremely sanitary and is removably mounted in the frame 1 so as to be easily replaced if mutilated or soiled.

What I claim is 1. A closure for collapsible tubes includmg a substantially U-shaped closure frame member, said frame member comprising a body portion and a plurality of arms projectin at an angle from said body portion, the said frame member being provided at the junction of the arms and bod portion with inwardly facing .opposed an laterally extending grooves opening through one edge of each of the arms, and a closure member provided with outwardly projecting flanges mounted in said frame member, the said flanges of the closure member being slidable into and frictionally held within the said grooves in the frame member.

2. A closure for collapsible tubes including a substantially U-shaped closure frame member comprising a body portion and a spring arm projecting at substantially right end thereof, said arms straddle the dischar e the wal angles from each being ada ted to nozzle an frictionally engage thereof, and said frame member being provided at the junction of the body portion and arms thereof with opposed inwardly facing and laterally extending grooves single strlp of spring sheet material and comprising a bodyportion having a spring arm bent at substantially right angles to each end thereof, said spring arms being adapted to straddle the discharge nozzle of a collapsible tube, and the frame member being provided at the junctions of the body portion and spring arms with inwardly facing opposed and laterally extending crlmpsopening through one side of the arms of the frame,.-said 'crimps projecting outwardly beyond the ends of the body portion and the outer'faces of the spring arms to form finger holds for manipulation of the frame member, and a closure member mounted in said frame and provided with outwardly projecting flanges adapted to slide between the arms of the frame into and be frictionally held within said crimps, said closure member being adapted to close the discharge orifice of the collapsible tube.

4. The combination with a collapsible tube having a cylindrical exteriorly threaded discharge nozzle provided with a discharge orifice which is circular in transverse section, of an interiorly threaded cap adapted to be screwed upon said discharge nozzle, said cap being provided with a rectangularly shaped dischar e orifice to cause the contents of the tu e to be discharged in the form of a ribbon, a closure member adapted to close said discharge orifice of the cap,

and means forpositively locking said closure member to the cap to allow movement of the closure relatively to said cap and to limit said movement.

5. A closure for collapsible tubes includsaid having a discharge nozzle provided with a discharge orifice circular in transverse section, of a cap adapted to be secured on said discharge nozzle, said cap being provided with a rectangularly shaped discharge orifice to cause the contents of the tube to be discharged in the form of a ribbon, a closure member adapted to close. said discharge.

orifice of the cap, and means for locking said closure member to the cap to allow a limited movement of the closure relatively to the said cap.

7. The combination of a collapsible tube having a discharge nozzle provi ed with a discharge orifice circular in transverse sec-' tion, of a cap adapted to be secured on said discharge nozzle, said cap 'being provided with a rectangularly shaped discharge orifice to cause the contents of the tube to be discharged in the form of a ribbon, a closure member provided with a rectangular plug adapted to enter and close the said rectangular discharge orifice and to lock the closure to the cap against independent rotation, and means for positively connecting said closure member to the cap to allow a limited relative longitudinal movement ofithe closure on the cap.

8. The combination of a collapsible tube having a discharge nozzle provided with a discharge orifice, of a cap adapted to be secured on said discharge nozzle, said cap being provided with a discharge orifice smaller in transverse section than the discharge orifice of the nozzle, a closure member adapted to close said discharge orifice of the cap, and means for lockingsaid closure member to the cap to allow a limited movement of the closure relatively to the said'cap.

This specification signed this seventh day of March, A. D. 1918.

CLARENCE S. JACKSON. 

